Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft – heavier-than-air – Airplane and helicopter sustained
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-10
2001-06-12
Swiatek, Robert P. (Department: 3643)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft, heavier-than-air
Airplane and helicopter sustained
C244S049000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244537
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is generally known for an aircraft to have a wing capable of being operated or oriented in two modes. Such an arrangement permits the wing to be suitably arranged for two modes of an aircraft's operation. When an aircraft is to be stowed for delivery, for example, it is generally desirable for the wing to be fixed in an orientation that is parallel to the orientation of the aircraft's fuselage. When an aircraft is to be flown at relatively high airspeed, it is generally desirable for the wing to be fixed in an orientation that is perpendicular to the direction of flight. When maneuverability at low airspeed or loitering around a fixed location is desired, a rotating wing configuration is generally preferable over a fixed-wing configuration.
In the field of air-launched vehicles for payload deployment, for example, an air-launched flying vehicle having a dual-mode wing is known. This vehicle is designed to be delivered into flight by a host aircraft and then released. The wing of this flying vehicle is oriented parallel to the orientation of its fuselage during delivery, and oriented perpendicular to its fuselage after the vehicle has been released. However, this vehicle lacks provisions for rotating-winged flight. An example, a flying vehicle for payload deployment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,218, issued to Groutage et al. on Jun. 27, 1989.
In the field of rotary wing craft, aircraft have been long known that operate in both fixed-wing flight and rotary-wing flight. However, such aircraft lack provisions for orienting the wing parallel to the orientation of the aircraft's fuselage. An example of a flying vehicle for conversion from fixed-wing flight to rotating-wing flight (and vice versa) while in the air is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,518,007, issued to Herrick on Aug. 8, 1950. The vehicle is disclosed as including a convertible wing that could be auto driven by the air or driven from a suitable engine. Herrick, col. 4, lines 65-67.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention permits a rotatable wing to be operated in three modes: a first orientation mode, a second orientation mode, and a mode in which the wing rotates (called the rotating mode). Such an apparatus permits a wing to be stowed and used in both fixed-wing flight and rotary wing flight.
According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus is a component of an aircraft capable of fixed-wing flight. Such an aircraft has a fuselage that is oriented generally in the direction of flight. In the first orientation mode, the wing is generally parallel to the orientation of the fuselage, providing a relatively compact stowage configuration. In the second orientation mode, the wing is generally perpendicular to the orientation of the fuselage. The first orientation mode thus facilitates stowage of the wing during stowed flight of such an aircraft under power of a host aircraft, the second orientation mode facilitates fixed-wing flight, and the rotating mode facilitates rotating-wing flight.
Stowed flight permits an aircraft to be transported longer distances than may be possible under the aircraft's power alone. Fixed-wing flight permits the aircraft to attain higher airspeed at higher efficiency than would be ordinarily possible in rotary-wing flight. Rotary-wing flight facilitates safe and convenient recovery of the aircraft within a relatively small area.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a wing may be started into auto-driven (i.e., autogyro) operation after operating in fixed-wing flight. When the wing is within the operating parameters for such a self-powered rotating mode, no torque needs to be applied to maintain its rotation. An aircraft in accordance with this aspect of the invention need not include an anti-torque device to keep the aircraft from rotating in counter action to its rotating wing. Since a motor of such an aircraft needs only to move the aircraft's wing between the first and second orientation modes, and into a self-powered rotating mode, such a motor may have relatively simple structure.
By permitting a wing to be operated in three modes, an apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention may be advantageously used, for example, in an aircraft that is capable of being (1) delivered by host aircraft, (2) deployed into fixed-wing flight, and (3) recovered after a period of rotating-wing flight at lower airspeed than is typically possible in fixed-wing flight. During stowage and delivery, the wing may be oriented parallel to the fuselage of the aircraft. When flight at relatively high airspeed is desired, the wing may be oriented perpendicular to the direction of forward motion. When flight at relatively low airspeed or loitering around a fixed location is desired, for example during recovery of the aircraft, the wing may be permitted to rotate.
According to another aspect of the present invention, such an aircraft need not contain any accommodation for a human pilot. Such a variation may be advantageously used, for example, to permit the fuselage to be made compact to the point where it may have insufficient volume to accommodate a human pilot of average size. A compact aircraft generally requires less fuel to operate and can be made less conspicuous than a less compact aircraft.
In accordance with a method of the present invention, an air-launched flying vehicle (e.g., an aircraft in accordance with various aspects of the invention) is provided that is unmanned, recoverable, and suitable for activities such as munitions deployment and aerial reconnaissance. Such a vehicle has a wing suitable for operation in a stowed configuration, a fixed-wing configuration, and a rotating configuration. According to the method, a host aircraft is also provided, and the vehicle is secured to the host aircraft. The host aircraft is used to transport the vehicle to a first airborne location. During transport, the wing of the air-launched flying vehicle is in the stowed configuration.
At the first airborne location, the air-launched vehicle is released from the host aircraft. The air-launched flying vehicle flies to a second airborne location with its wing in the fixed-wing configuration. At the second airborne location, activities such as munitions deployment or aerial reconnaissance may be performed using the air-launched vehicle. In accordance with various methods of the present invention, the air-launched vehicle flies to a ground-based location with its wing in the rotatable configuration.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1503950 (1924-08-01), Heywood
patent: 1557789 (1925-10-01), Bane
patent: 1622138 (1927-03-01), Ellerman
patent: 1688186 (1928-10-01), Humphreys
patent: 2076327 (1937-04-01), von Stackelberg
patent: 2518007 (1950-08-01), Herrick
patent: 2628792 (1953-02-01), Griffith
patent: 2653779 (1953-09-01), Terry
patent: 2879013 (1959-03-01), Herrick
patent: 3116036 (1963-12-01), Nichols
patent: 3261572 (1966-07-01), Gorton
patent: 3516624 (1970-06-01), Crook
patent: 3721403 (1973-03-01), Gray et al.
patent: 4447025 (1984-05-01), Bock et al.
patent: 4592525 (1986-06-01), Madderra et al.
patent: 4842218 (1989-06-01), Groutage et al.
patent: 5454530 (1995-10-01), Rutherford et al.
Rogers David E.
Suominen Edwin A.
Swiatek Robert P.
Whittington Stuart A.
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